Month October 2007

Corporate Birthday Greetings

Today is my birthday, as Rob pointed out in a comment a few days back (thanks to “social networking” sites that I’ve shared that info with). My point isn’t to solicit a bunch of “happy birthday” greetings (but I’ll accept…

How Toyota Became #1, and Will Again

I’ve mentioned this book before, coming out Nov 1, it’s called How Toyota Became #1: Leadership Lessons from the World’s Greatest Car Company. I had the exciting chance to have dinner tonight with the author, David Magee. I have, in…

L.A.M.E. Strikes in Virginia

General Dynamics workers laid off – SWVAToday.com It’s been a while since a Lean As Mistakenly Executed (L.A.M.E.) sighting. Or, in other words, stuff that gives Lean a bad name: About 45 General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products employees in…

Finding Joy in Your work

Postbulletin.com: Harvey Mackay: Work for the love of it all – Mon, Oct 15, 2007 For all of the complaining we do about the airlines and for all of the lousy attitudes we often run across, here’s a positive story…

A Very Non-Lean ER Experience

Thanks to a Lean Blog reader, Matt, for sending this first-hand account. I’m sorry he (and his wife) had to go through this experience. This is posted with his permission. I’ll buck convention a bit and put my comments in…

Sorry, we have no Toast at Toast!

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I can’t say this is strictly Lean related, but I thought this was funny and I’ll share it anyway. So I’m at the airport terminal in Edmonton on Thursday, waiting to fly home and saw this one (and only) food…

Kids Learning About Lean

SaukValley.com – Serving Dixon, Sterling & Rock Falls: Here’s a news story about career day at a High School and someone talking about Lean (I guess Wahl, the clipper company, is using Lean): “‘Poka yoke … allows you to dummy-proof…

How Curiosity Empowers Toyota

Business Week Article Here is a new article from Business Week, which also focuses on the upcoming book How Toyota Became #1: Leadership Lessons from the World’s Greatest Car Company. I’m going to have a chance to meet the author,…

Putting the Burden on Patients?

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I saw this ad (click on the photo for a larger, readable view) in the Wall Street Journal Monday. It’s an ad run by a patient advocacy organization called “RID” (Reduce Infection Deaths). The headline is “15 Steps You Can…

FAA and Airlines Improving Where It Counts

Lean bloggers tend to be hard on the commercial airline industry. It’s not unjustified considering how they’ve treated their own employees and their customers in recent years, and the lack of profitability that goes with that poor treatment. I suspect…

Lowest Bidder? No Wonder There Are Problems

Marketplace: Road construction paved with problems Dr. Deming always preached to not choose suppliers based on price alone. Many companies and industries have never learned that lesson, so why should we expect governments to do any better? This Marketplace story…